Plugging device deployment in subterranean wells

Abstract

A plug deployment tool can include a piston to displace plugging devices out of an outer housing assembly, the piston including four piston areas, one piston area being in fluid communication with a fluid chamber to be pressurized by ignition of a power charge, two piston areas being in fluid communication with an exterior of the plug deployment tool, and the other piston area being in fluid communication with an atmospheric chamber. Another plug deployment tool can include a piston including a piston area in fluid communication with a fluid chamber, and a valve that selectively prevents and permits fluid communication between the fluid chamber and an exterior of the plug deployment tool. A method of deploying plugging devices can include increasing fluid pressure applied to a piston area of a piston, thereby axially displacing the piston and discharging the plugging devices from the outer housing assembly.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.